The Twelfth Station:

Jesus Dies on the Cross

“‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

-Matthew 27:46

By human standards, the crucifixion and death of Jesus is the ultimate failure. Members of the Jewish community had waited so long for the Messiah, had put their faith and hope in a man they believed had come to liberate them, and he died a gruesome, horrific death.

It was a devastating, final moment, and so many of Jesus’ friends had already fled the scene, abandoning their hope in a better future.

It’s a good thing the crucifixion and death of Jesus are not to be judged by human standards.

Rather, what we see as failure, God transforms into victory. Where we see nothing but hopelessness and devastation, God is at work in surprising and spectacular ways. When we look at Haiti, we often think of natural disaster and immense poverty-but our God of hope is at work in volunteers like Louisma Toussaint, caring for those in need.

How does this Easter perspective inspire our own work in seemingly hopeless, failed situations? How does God want us to look upon such things as poverty, natural disasters and environmental decay-by human standards, or something more hopeful?